Officials with federal and state agencies conducted court-authorized law enforcement activity in March at businesses throughout the state, including some in Hattiesburg.(Photo: Lici Beveridge/Hattiesburg American)Buy Photo

Another Mississippi pharmacist has pleaded guilty for his role in a multi-state compound pharmacy scheme with roots in Hattiesburg that bilked TRICARE and other health benefit providers of more than $400 million.

Marco Bisa Hawkins Moran, 45, of Raymond, the 12th person charged in the scheme, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett. He was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond.

The investigation is ongoing and prosecutions are occurring nationwide to include California, Tennessee, Arkansas and Connecticut.

Moran was charged in a criminal information with attempt and conspiracy for his role in a scheme to defraud TRICARE of $22 million.

Sentencing is set for Nov. 27. Moran faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, restitution of an amount to be determined and will be subject to an order of forfeiture for $12,195,740.40.

Moran, a co-owner of Medworx Compounding, a former compound pharmacy in the Jackson area, and owner of Custom Care Pharmacy in Clinton, admitted to his role in the mass production of high-yield compounded medications on behalf of the pharmacies.

The expensive medications were not formulated for individual patients but rather to maximize the reimbursement value from TRICARE and other health benefit programs.

Moran’s companies submitted fraudulent claims for the compounded pain creams, then Moran and other co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to marketers and physicians who wrote prescriptions for medications, often without examining the patient for whom the medication was intended. The medications often were not deemed medically necessary.